Combination service and outlet box



July 15, 1952 H. L..LAIS

COMBINATION SERVICE AND OUTLET BOX 2 srms-srms'r 1 Filed Aug. 29, 1949Fig.5

Henry L. Lois IN V EN TOR.

6 2 R m M T 0 L m Q 3 Ag 0 E w I .6 V L Q. a W F 2 L m M Q S L X 2 8 O an m 4 H B u a w a -8 S w 2 A L m ,6 w R w 5! i w 4 I T A N m E M O r Cm' f l IIII July 15, 1952 Filed Aug. 29, 1949 lined-4 in Figure .3;

Figure "5 is a'horizontal sectional .viewtaken -P'atented July 15, 1952f 1 PATENT Y l I -2;e0s,5 4 s oOMB mATmN SERVICE AND-OUTLETBOX W"HenryL.'Lais,Grand Forks, N. Dak.

. Application agma 1949, SerialfNo.11;12, 998

l3 .Clailns. (Cl. .3-12-.1.0

invention frelatesto receptacles, and in wparticulargtoa;:receptacleadapted-to be used as a combinediservice and outlet box.

objectwofzthe,inventionis:topposition in one location power take-:oif:outlets for :electricalcir- .cuits requiring 'varyingvoltage andamperage.

Another object isto provide a novel weatherproof :ou't1et:box.foroutdoor useandssuitable for .;i-arm :yards, 1 shops, .igranaries, barnsand the like. .i-alzstill .iurtherobject-of the invention is to pro-.:-vide;.means for sealing the circuit breakers for various-:circuits;1againsttampering by unauthorized:individuals,-=that ;issimple in construction, cheap and easy to manufacture and assemble,

tstrong,:-rdurable, .andreliable in vuse, and pleasing l.ziniappearance.

flhese.,together withwariousadditional objects 'sofwex-arnple -.only inthe accompanying drawings,

,sFigure 1 is a,- perspective view of the invention sh0wingthe-outlet.box in its'closed and .locked position;

I :Figure 2;is -a perspective view of the combined service and outletbox-showing .it with its outer .-,cover raised; k

:Figure --3 715 *a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 inFigure 4;

Figure 4 isfa verticaly sectional:view taken along along line 5-5 inFigure 4; and,

Figure "6 is-a perspective view of the inner cover of vthexoutlet box.

-:With'.continued reference to "the accompanyalng :drawings wherein like.reference characters designate .similar parts throughout the variousv-views, reference numeral l0-.genera1ly-designates l theeontainercomprising one .elementoithe outzlet box ofcthe present invention. Thecontainer 10 includes a back panel vl'2,.side panels I4 and :46 and .thebottom panel l8. The bottom panel -18 has an upwardly extending flange20;.at the front edge thereof. These panels preferably are made integralwith each other and are secured at the joints formed. They can be madeby stamping from suitable sheet material.

An inner cover generally designated by nu,- meral 22 is secured to thecontainer ill by bolts 24 passing through suitable apertures in thelower portions of the cover 22 and in the flange 20. The cover 22 isprovided with an inwardly extending flange 26 at its bottom edge andflanges .20 and 3ll at-the sideaedg'es 0f .the cover lflange 2 6underlying the; bottom, and flanges .28 and 0 overlying the respectivesides of the -.container.

Atop 32 havingmarginal downwardly extending-flanges 34, 36, 38 and 40 ispositioneion top of the container 12 withthe vlianges. -3 l-i,.38 .and40 overlying the corresponding adjacent portions ofzsai'd container andthe flange 34 overlyingthe inner cover 22 to .provide a water .tigh't,Joint therefor.

An outer cover 42 .is -p'ivotally .attachedJasiby hinges .44 .to a bar#5. securedlto lithe .outer face -of the inner cover 522. Theouter'coverlis dished outwardly as at 18 and is ,-.provided .With .alock of conventional design.

The top of .thebox is rapertured centrally V therethroug'h andeal hub 52is secured to Jthe top 732 surrounding Itheaperture. Theiback ,panel "I2 .is provided with suitable mounting .lhdles I54. :These'holes '54 are:used to fasten the'iboxjtolthe surfaceon which it .is to..be mountedand enable the box .tolbesetawayifrom'the surface ,on which it is to .bemounted IIto allow ai-rto circulate Ibebind the .box.

. A ,igroundingilug 156 comprising a copper Tbus '.'bar with a ,pair ofextensionsit of'c'onnec'ting l-1eavy.neutral wires using .sol'derlessconnectors is secured by *Z-Shaped supporters filinspaced relation tothe back panel l2.

A plurality of knockouts are provided in the container, and inner coverlto .afl'ord openings in the box-"through which wires .must ,,pass."There arethree .knockoutstz cut initheibackpanel adjacent the bottom.in knockout i6! is provided in the back panel in the upper centralportion.

jAfpair of suitable iknockouts are "located on 'each'side of'thebox.near'fthe top. Fourfknockcuts 68 'of suitable "size areprovided in'th'eibottompanel as is alargerjknockout'lll ,whi'e'hds centrallylocated therein.

, :A bracket "12 is welded -to the back "panel 112 and "is adaptedtohold the .top of circultf breakers. These circuit breakersare'jprovi'deiiwith a lip 14 which fits "under 'th'e fbra'cket.Additionally, thezcircuit "breakersrare providedwithhdles it intowhichscrewsf "are passed 'and'se'curedfto the backjpanel "l2.

binations of circuit breakers to acquire different voltages and phases.The bus bars are tapped for screws 96 and are attached to the circuitbreakers with these screws. Individual circuit breakers may be removedby removing screws 96 and I8. Solderless connectors 98 are used toconnect main conductors to the bus bar. Load connectors 100 comprisingsolderless connectors are used to connect the load feeder conductors tothe circuit breakers.

Three receptacles I92, I94 and E96 are used as a quick means ofattaching rated loads. These receptacles are so grouped as to provide acombination of centrally located power and light outlets of varyingloads and amperages.

Receptacle 192 is a polarized receptacle which can be used for heavyload appliances such as are welders, large motors and so forth.Receptacle IE4 is of smaller rating but can be used for similar purposesas that of receptacle I92. Receptacle I96 is notapolarized receptacleand is usedfor operating lighter loadsls uch as small electric drills,

"motors, etc.

The circuit breakers are connected as desired to the receptacle in orderto provide a readily availabl'e'take-off connection for variouspredetermined loads. The mainline from the power source may enter thebox through the hub 52 prior to connection to the circuit breakers; The

receptacles and circuit breakers are" suitably 1 grounded to groundinglug 56.

- By' means of suitable supporting bars I98 the receptacles are securedto the box; These bars 198 traverse the entire width of the box and areattached to the inner cover 22.

trude through the cover so that one can operate ,the circuit breakerswithoutremoving the outer i cover. Round holes I I6; H8, and lareprovided on the cover 22; which allow the facesof the receptacles, 192,.EM and 196 to protrude through j the cover. extended lip I22 for thecover is so designedas to slide up and under the top 32 1 sofas toprovide a water sheddingfit at the sides and top of the box.

. The recesses H9 and 48 in the inner and outer covers are in alignmentand are so designed a to eliminate condensation from attacking theinterior electrical connections in the box.

Theexterior cover is attached to the interior cover to fill therequirements of outdoor installa- "tions. Thus, the necessity for havingmore than one style of box is eliminated. The outer cover v .is-hingedas at M and these hinge are spring loadedto automatically close thecover. Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of thiscombination service and outlet box arereadily apparent, furtherdescription does not appear to be necessary. However, since numerousmodifications will oc- I our to one skilled in the art after aconsideration 1 of the pecification'and accompanying drawings, it is notintended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment of outlet boxshown and described,

4 except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An outlet box comprising a container having a back panel, side panelsand a top panel, a front panel secured to said side and top panels andhaving an opening therein, an elongated substantially Z-shaped drain caphaving spaced. oppositely extendinglegs and a connecting web, meanssecurin one of said legs to said front panel adjacent the upper edge ofsaid opening therein, a cover overlying said opening and having theupper edge thereof disposed between the other of said legs andthe frontpanel, and means hingedly attaching said cover to said last mentionedleg of said drain cap for vertical swinging movement.

2. An outlet box comprising, a container having a back panel, sidepanels and a top panel, a front panel secured to said side and toppanels and having an openin therein, an elongated substantially Z-shapeddrain cap having spaced oppositely extending legs and a connecting web,means securing one of said legs to said front'panel adjacent the upperedge of said opening therein, an outwardly dished cover overlying saidopening'and having an upwardly extending front panel engaging flange onits upper edge, said flange beingdis posed between the other of aid legsof 'saidcap and said-front panel, and hinges attached to-said lastmentioned leg of said drain cap and to said cover adjacent the flangethereon, said hinges attaching said cover to said front panel'fo'rvertical swinging movement relative thereto;

3. An outlet box comprising a container having a back, panel, sidepanels and a top panel, a'front panel secured to said side and toppanels and'having an opening therein, an elongated substantiallyZ-shaped draincap having spaced oppositely e'xtending legs and aconnectingw'eb, means securing one of said legs to said frontpaneladjacent the upper edge of said opening thereinpa cover overlyingsaid opening and having the uppe-ifedge thereof disposed between theother of said legs and the front panel, and means hin'g'edly attachingsaid cover to said last mentioned leg of said drain cap for verticalswinging movement, said top panel having downwardly extending flangesthereon overlying said back, front and side panels.

- HENRY L. LAIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references, are of record in the file ofthis patent:,

UNITED STATES PATENTS Lindmark Apr. 4, 1950

